Middlesbrough 2 Birmingham City 0

IN SATURDAY'S programme notes Middlesbrough Supporters South chairman, Andy Walker, took the opportunity to berate the Observer for labelling the away day experience at Middlesbrough as the worst in the Premier League.

A crowd of just 22,920 - the Riverside's lowest Premier League attendance - would indicate to an outsider that the homeday experience wasn't up to much either.

Judging by Saturday's performance in a very comfortable 2-0 win, however, the latter is far from the case with Gareth Southgate hailing the display as the best since he became manager.

Better teams than Birmingham would have struggled to cope with Boro's passing and movement, and Southgate indicated the only negative aspect was that more fans weren't there to witness it.

"My dream was to get the sort of response from the fans we had in the second half," said Southgate.

"It's a bit like a marriage. If you want to do things in life but you don't have anyone to share it wit it's not as fulfilling.

"If we can fill the stadium and play the way we want to play, winning games and exciting fans, it will mean that much more.

That's what I want to do here to make a real difference to the area and bring them a team they want to come and watch.

"It was the best performance under me here, all the aspects were there.

The impending £5 million arrival of Gary O'Neil into the Boro first team will leave Gareth Southgate with a quandry.

O'Neil will slot into the right side of midfield which will leave Fabio Rochemback and Julio Arca sweating on their places.

The two South Americans have formed an effective partnership in central midfield - they again excelled in the comfortable 2-0 win over Birmingham - but there appears little doubt George Boateng will be back in his more accustomed central role at West Ham in a fortnight.

The skipper has been merely filling in on the right prior to O'Neil's arrival much in the same way as Lee Cattermole - another desperate for a first team start - did earlier in the season.

It's a headache Southgate will only be too happy to have with competition for places necessary if Middlesbrough are to challenge at the top half of the Premier League.

How he keeps his players happy will be a measure of how Southgate the manager has developed in his first year in charge at the Riverside.

"When we were 2-0 up we showed a desire to keep going forwards.

I loved watching some of it.

"Historically we're a team that gets in front then sits back and that's what pleased me most that we didn't do that we can only go forward as a club by changing that wish to sit back.

"I'm determined to keep pushing them and challenging them to improve every day."

That challenge appears to have been taken up with avengeance by his players who made Birmingham look about as effective as Northampton were in Wednesday's Carling Cup game.

Boro started well and, despite being two up at the break, were even more adventurous in the second half.

While Southgate revelled in the attacking verve shown in the second half, former boss Steve McClaren would have no doubt been tearing what's left of his hair out.

Jeremie Aliadiere, Luke Young, Julio Arca and Dong Gook Lee should have all scored and those were only the clearcut chances after the break.

Steve Bruce's side couldn't cope and the return to the Riverside left former Boro stalwart Stuart Parnaby shell-shocked.

"It was possibly the strangest experience I've ever had in football,"

said the 25-year-old. "I had 14 years here wearing a red shirt so coming back was really odd.

"We let Middlesbrough play and made it pretty comfortable for them. The boss was upset.

You can just imagine what he was like, not best pleased."

Southgate was the complete opposite.

Despite the quality of Boro, both goals were a result of poor defending.

In the 12th minute an unmarked David Wheater was allowed to bury a header from ten yards, while Stewart Downing had acres of room to net Boro's second This was a far cry from the lows of the home defeat against Blackburn on the first day of the season and the miserable performance at Wigan four days later.

"When you lose the first two it can dent your confidence but we're starting to see the formation of a decent side," said Southgate.

"We're playing a more expansive game but with Downing and Aliadiere in the side we've got a bit more pace.

"This is more my side, because I've obviously brought in more players."

Now all Southgate and Middlesbrough need to do is to bring the fans back.

Watch the match highlights from Monday, September 3